The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-11-24
THANKSGIVING.

It's a good old-fashioned custom,
this one of an annual Thanksgiving
Day. The occasion is not what it was
intended to be, nor what it was in the
earlier days of its history. It is fast
losing its religious feature and coming
to be simply secular family feast day
The prayers and sermons and religious
exercises are s III maintained more or
less geuerai.y. yet there is lacking in
the proceedings the solemnity
and deep devotion which distin-
guished the Thanksgiving from the
harvest feast, and made it peculiarly
solemn o,casio n. Whether or not the
change is an improvement spiritually,
is not for US to say; it is enough TO
know that Thanksgiving is one OF the
very best days in the year socially,
morally and spiritually. 1t is pecuii-
ariy home day given up to the fam
lily, and devoid of the parade which
forms a prominent feature of most OF
our festivals.
On the Old hearths to-day the old fires burn,
And Love shines warm within the dear old
eyes,
And cries a little as they all return
The boys and girls 10 get their pumpkin
pies
Old chaps mayhap the boys are; and the
girls
If they were younger, say it meath the
Fierce, fierce Times binding tempest beats
and Whirls.
Swift, swift pile up the dreary winter
But on the old hearthstone love undarkened
CLOVIS.
On Christmas one must be gay and
Jolly, full of fun, and ready for any
lark that may be suggested; on Thanks
giving the family want to gather at the
old table set in the same old place and
make a feast of noble cheer, decorously
and quietly deporting themselves,
and again cementing relationships
which in the busy whlrl and struggle of
existence, have been neglected if not
forgotten, for a twelve month. It is
because it is a home festival that
Thanksgiving is most welcome to old
and young, snd.is so much preferred to
some of The many feast days.
In Utah, while the day il full OF sor-
low and sadness for come, Thanks
giving comes this year with more Joy
and more grstefulness on the part of
the people than it came year ago. AS
& community, the people of Utah have
much to be thankful for, and there will
be less of mockery and sadness in their
expressions of thankfuIness than in
1887, when deep SORROW affected, if it did
not affiict everybody. There will
be vacant chairs al many a
Thanksgiving board to-day, the
vacancy caused BY cruel laws
and wicked prosecutions; and prayers
of thsnkfulness will be mingled with
tears OF sympathy for the suffering.
But ali in all, the day will not be sp IN
welcome one. The harvest has been
bounteous, material prosperity hss
been with the people during the year,
and feeling of grstefniness for divine
wstchfulness and blessiugsise everywhere
manifest.
Still with praise for all life gifts
Unto the Giver give thanks t0-d8yi
Still life Is good still IN lone winter drifts
Lies hid the promise of the May.
Still day brings work and night brings rest,
Still Earth ktints not of her store,
Still honest hearts are hsppiest,
AnN Love is still Heaven open door.
FOR the nabe new born, for the bride new
wed,
For wisdom and length Of days,
For the love of the Lying, for the peace Of the
dead.
To-day give thanks and praise.
For ali things thanks; all Gods great hand
bestows,
The wreath Of cypress and the wreath OF
rose,
> Bus most for love that aye undsskened
glows!